Writer Uong Trieu launches children's book 'Leader Ro Dong'

Writer Uong Trieu tells the story of perch, crabs, and snails escaping from the tank to return to the ditch and fields, through the book "Chief Ro Dong".

The book tells the story of a boy called Perch who was swimming in a creek when he was captured by humans and locked in a tank. After the shock, he began to adapt to the new living environment, getting acquainted with the "residents" here such as the Golden Fish sisters, the Crab Kenh, the Turtle, and the Piba Fish. They have different personalities but gradually find a way to get along. All the ''residents'' did not expect that Ca Perch would become the leader, inspiring in them the desire to return to the fields.

From there, Ro Dong planned an escape. In the group, some residents were calm and encouraged: ''Freedom has its price, no one can discourage the group'', while other species were worried, asking: ''Do you believe we can escape and life outside will be good?''. Ro Dong is "the strongest young man with good respiratory ability" so he takes on the role of leading the group, followed by the Golden Fish sisters, the Flag Fish and his wife, Mr. Turtle, and Ms. Oc Nhoi clinging to Mr. Turtle's back to move faster. Next is Mr. Ty Ba - Cleaning the Tank and at the end is Mr. Cua Kenh, whose task is to protect the whole group.

On the way home, they had to go through many difficulties and suffer bloodshed, but in the end they all reached the small ditch. It seemed like the story would have a happy ending, but events struck, causing each fish tank resident to have their own feelings.

Although telling stories about animals, Uong Trieu builds a miniature society, where there is also joy, sadness, and a spirit of mutual support mixed with conflicts of relationships.

The author said that he was born in a rural and mountainous area in Quang Ninh, his parents were officials and environmental workers, so his childhood was associated with fields, forests and mountains. When he was young, he went to school half a day, and the rest he went to the forest to chop firewood or herd geese and ducks, catch fish in the fields, or follow his mother to catch shrimp, crabs, and fish. His childhood memories of being attached to nature have followed him into adulthood.

Later, Uong Trieu saw that his children and other children in the city had little experience, not even distinguishing the difference between geese and ducks, perch and carp. Therefore, he wrote children's stories and fairy tales for his children as well as children to read. ''I hope that through the little book, children will learn more about life in the countryside, the rustic and simple things of nature but no less lively and interesting,'' the writer said.

Uong Trieu's real name is Nguyen Xuan Ban, 49 years old, originally a foreign language teacher but turned to writing. He is considered an inquisitive writer, having published the novels Imagination and Traces, January Fog, The Lover, Loneliness, and a number of short story collections and essays.